News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-02-24
LOST IN A BLIZZARD.
Terrible Suffering of Travellers In a Mon
tana stage Coach.
from the Butte on. ID Miner.l

lfFOm the butto (h' ~ hlheA'l
The Benton stage brought in the
three passengers who were on the be-
| lated stage that was storm bound eigh-
| teen miles south of Benton from Thurs
| day until Friday evening. They were
W. Montgomery, from the Judith,
and I. Edenholm and VIM. Morgan, two
discharged soldiers from Fort Assina-
boine From member of the party your
correspondent gathers the following
story of their terrible experience:
They left Benton at o'clock Thurs
day morning in a binding snowstorm.
1t was not then, however, very cold, but
rapidly grew colder. They lost the road
several times, and made slow progress
until nearly nightfall, when the horses
became too much exhausted to proceed
further with the conveyance. The driver,
Charles S. Fox, thought they were with.
in five miles of Twenty eight Mile
Springs, one of the stage stations. 1t
was here decided to send the two sold
iers to the static with the horses for re
lief. They accordingly started, but after
making about five miles one of the
horses gave out entirely and the other
was too badly used up to be of service.
They then tied the animals to tele-
graph pole and started off on foot. They
had not gone far when one of them sank
powerless to the ground. His compan
ion, however, recognizing that certain
death would be his fate if left behind,
literally dragged him the remaining dis
lance to the station, which proved to be
five miles. Upon arrival at the Springs
they endeavored to organize a party to
return to the abandoned stage, but the
storm was raging with such fury that no
one could be found who would volun-
teer to make the attempt until the after
noon of the next day. In the meantime
the driver and Montgomery, becoming
alarmed at the non arrival of assistance,
determine to set out to the Springs on
foot. They were thoroughly benumbed,
and it was only with the greatest exer-
ton that they travelled a distance of
a out five miles, when they became be-
wildered and nearly exhausted.
Realizing that they had lost their reck-
oning, they cncluded to return to the
stage. When within mile of their
starting point, Fox declared he would go
no further, and his companions left him
staggering around telegraph pole and
feebly beating it with his hands to keep
up circulation. Montgomery struggled
on and finally reached the stage and fell
over 1t utterly helpless The sun came
out brightly soon afterwards and he re-
vived sufficiently to pull the robes about
him. When rescuing party found Fox
he was still at the telegraph pole and
eating snow. Montgomery was found
at the stage eating oats.
Thnv had M food NOR rinlx for III inv
six hours, and the horrors of hunger and
thirst added to the terrors of the situa-
ton. The benighted wanders were taken
to the station, where they found that
beyond the serious frosting of their ex-
tremities they were apparently in a con-
dition to proceed on their journey, ex-
cept Fox, the driver. who was taken
back to Benton for medical assistance
on account of the critical condition of
his arms and limbs, which were badly
frozen. AS soon as the storm had abated
the others resumed their journey, all suf-
fering severely from the terrible adven-
ture, and yesterday noon Montgomery's
mind began to waver under the strain
of his terrible experience and suffering.
By night he was totally insane and had
to be tied to his seat He was taken to
the hospital here this evening and medi-
cal assistance summoned. His condition
is very serious, but nothing definite can
vet be said of his ultimate recovery.
The other two men are not suffering
greatly and are out on the streets.